Through the Lens of Worship: Pretty Shiny Stuff

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

From Drop Box

In these verses Jesus is telling us to keep a heavenly perspective of sorts.  A perspective of the sort that does not hoard earthly possessions.  If we are to hoard anything, I suppose, it would be souls.  But not of ourselves, of course, but through the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is a reminder that the things of this world will pass away, but the things of God are eternal.  The apostle John puts it this way:

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:15-17

I like stuff... pretty shiny stuff... you may like a different kind of stuff, but truth be told, we all like stuff.  I don't hoard material possessions to brag about what I have.  In fact, I am just sentimental and many things in my home have a special meaning or a special person or story behind them.  Here is the twist, would I be upset if something happened to one of my pretties?  The answer is that you better believe it and not be around when it happens.

From Drop Box

Jesus and the apostle John's words remind me that the true value in this brief life we've all been given is not what I want or how much stuff I have or even who gave me the stuff or whether I bought it, not at all.  The true value is in God's will.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not despise prophecies.  Test all things; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil.  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

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